History of the Conference on Interfaith Youth Work

For the past five years, the National Conference on Interfaith Youth Work, coordinated  by  the  Interfaith  Youth  Core,  has brought together  interfaith  professionals, religious  leaders,  social service providers, and university faculty and students to build the field of interfaith youth work. Over the course of the conferences, these leaders have discussed the theory and practice of interfaith work, cultivated networks and collaborations within and across relevant fields and leadership levels, and exchanged resources and best practices in order to enhance interfaith work across the country and around the world.

2003

In May, 2003, IFYC hosted its first National Conference on Interfaith Youth Work at the University of Chicago. 31 Professors, students, and interfaith activists from 8 campuses and 16 organizations gathered to share models for interfaith youth work on campus and explore practical ways to galvanize the interfaith youth movement. Rabbi Sid Schwartz, Founder of the E Pluribus Unum Project and Josh Borkin, Council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions showcased the history of the interfaith movement and Dr. Eboo Patel, executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core underscored the importance of involving youth in interfaith work and promoting pluralism within the context of our 21^st century world. Participants were able to share ideas, catalyze connections and form lasting relationships.

The idea for a national interfaith youth service campaign resulted from the 2003 conference and IFYC was chosen to coordinate the campaign. The National Days of Interfaith Youth Service (NDIYS) launched in April 2004.

2004

In May, 2004, the 2^nd Annual National Conference on Interfaith Youth Work was held at DePaul University. Conference attendance increased to 79 professors, students and interfaith activists from 15 campuses and 20 organizations. The conference focused on evaluating the successes of the National Days of Interfaith Youth Service (NDIYS) Campaign. Attendees discussed the theory and practice of interfaith youth work, built relationships with one another, created collaborations between various interfaith projects, and strategized towards the growth of the interfaith youth work movement.

The conference highlighted NDIYS as a single methodology with a variety of expressions based on the context of the campus community. 15% of attendees signed on to facilitate a NDIYS in 2005.

2005

In May, 2005, the 3^rd Annual National Conference on Interfaith Youth Work was held at DePaul University. 76 people attended representing at least eight faith traditions. Nearly 60% of the conference participants were young people (13 – 30). Dr. Scott Alexander, Director of Catholic-Muslim Studies at the Catholic Theological Union, gave a keynote address exploring the Islamic concept of jihad, defined as a struggle to live righteously, and its application for Muslims, Catholics, and other people of faith. Workshops during the conference focused largely on interfaith youth service methodologies – defining interfaith dialogue and why it is important, how to start projects, how to sustain the movement and build momentum.

Participants also learned from the successes of the 2005 NDIYS, which included 18 service sites and over 3,000 participants!

2006

In May, 2006 the 4^th Annual National Conference on Interfaith Youth Work: Partnering to Build a Better World was held at Northwestern University. Due to popular demand, this conference introduced a service and interfaith dialogue opportunity. Participants worked together in small groups to make blankets that were donated to Sarah’s Circle, a Chicago-based not-for-profit that provides services for women who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless. After creating the blankets, participants were guided through an interfaith dialogue following the IFYC methodology. Another new addition to the conference this year was a series of workshops entitled, “Speed Faithing.” Each Speed Faithing workshop highlighted the core beliefs and broad characteristics of one faith community so that participants could learn more about particular faith traditions as well as different ways of engaging such faith communities in their home communities.

The conference also celebrated the successes of the Third Annual NDIYS. 2006 was the first time that the NDIYS went international with 7 overseas sites participating. 5,000 participants gathered at 32 sites. Recognizing the global reach of the service projects, the “National” was dropped from the NDIYS campaign to become the Days of Interfaith Youth Service (DIYS).